


Who Needs Gentle?

by mother_finch



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen, mother-finch fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 09:58:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6951775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mother_finch/pseuds/mother_finch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>PROMPT: Shoot prompt: whenever root kisses shaw, shaw holds back because despite her rough nature she really doesn't want to hurt root. But one night root says ,"it's ok sameen."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Needs Gentle?

"Hi, Sweetie," Root coos into Shaw's ear from behind, draping her arms over Shaw's shoulders and lacing her fingers together against Shaw's abdomen. She leaves her mouth close to Shaw's ear, her hot breath and soft touch causing Shaw to shudder. Shaw lifts her chin, pulse sputtering as her nerve endings heighten, every sense magnified eight times over.

"Root," Shaw responds coolly, not trusting her voice to remain strong for much else. Still, the single syllable is strained, and Root knows it, purring with a soft laughter that makes Shaw's heart hammer painfully against her ribcage. Shaw swallows hard, eyes searching the subway terminal.

John Reese is out at the precinct; Harold Finch is on his way to work, Bear with him as they head for the university. _It's just me and Root._ The thought throws Shaw's nerves into a frenzy, her heart a rigorous drum roll. She can feel the adrenaline leaking into her veins, as invigorating as cocaine and as addicting as morphine- Root is Shaw's own personal heroine.

"Can I _help_ you?" Shaw all but demands, ignoring the hitch in her voice. _Stop it_ , she commands herself, although it's all in vain. _You can't keep acting like this_.

" _Maybe_ ," Root murmurs, pressing her chilled nose just below Shaw's jawline. Shaw can feel herself slipping; her resolve crumbling as she pulls her hands into tightly clenched fists. _Please_ , she thinks silently to herself. _Let Harold walk back in. Let Reese stop by to pick up extra ammo. Something._ But even the thoughts in her head begin to blur as the overwhelming presence of Root intoxicates her entirely.

* * *

 

Shaw turns her head to the right slowly, letting the side of her face brush against Root's chocolate tendrils of hair. She can feel Root humming with life, and before she knows it, Shaw finds herself pivoting around entirely, steering Root the few steps back until her spine touches the Subway cart's outer wall. Root's hands slide, lacing just behind Shaw's neck as a dark smirk lights her face deviously. Root's eyes glow, everything about her screaming provocatively. Shaw has a hand on the wall at either side of Root's shoulders, nails digging into its metallic paint, doing all that she can to keep her hands from Root.

She can see herself pushing Root against the car, fingertips leaving dark marks on her pale skin; roughly pressing their mouths together and biting her bottom lip-

 _No_ , Shaw spits to herself forcefully, straining to push the fantasy from her eyes. _Stop_.

Root traces her fingers in small, chilling circles on the back of Shaw's neck, drawing her in. Shaw holds her stomach tight, forcing more self control over herself than ever before. Every time it's painful to hold back, and every time it becomes harder to hold back at all. She stands as a statue as Root closes the nearly nonexistent gap between them, pressing her lips to Shaw's. At once, Shaw feels electricity surge through her, striking all the way down to the marrow of her bones.

She does nothing back. Coiling her muscles even tighter together, she struggles to keep her mind entirely blank, mouth not deviating from a flat line. Root pulls back just enough to meet Shaw's eyes, and Shaw is overcome with the sight of Root's face so close. She can see every feature of Root's face, and can't help but to silently study it, committing it to memory. Root raises a brow curiously, watching Shaw's eyes with a questioning set of her own. Again, Root brings her lips to Shaw's, and again Shaw holds back, feeling her nails scraping painfully against metal.

With a soft sigh, Root leans back against the subway car, the bright spark present earlier in her gaze now diminished to a dull lull. Shaw, closing her eyes, pushes away from Root, walking into the car without a word. She begins to rummage through the drawers, not looking for anything in particular, but in dire need to keep herself preoccupied.

She doesn't want to do this to Root. Seeing the masked disappointment in Root's features each time is enough to drive her to the brink of insanity, not to mention how nearly impossible it is to restrain herself. _I can't- won't- hurt her. I won't._ Even seeing Root's pained eyes seems a step up compared to the physical damage she could potentially do. She feels toxic, and knows that she'd rather drop dead from pent up nerves than poison Root. _It's not like I'm a complete ass_ , Shaw thinks, defending herself as she ruffles through different boxes of ammo. And it's true; she'd tried a little harder to go along with Root's foreplay, and wouldn't cold shoulder Root for leaning on her or taking her drinks or even calling her every possible pet name under the sun in public. _But perhaps that's only making things worse_. Does she feel led on? How much longer is Root going to ignore Shaw's lackluster? Shaw has no answers.

Slamming the cabinet shut, she's surprised to find Root leaning against the car's open door, eyes soft with thought. Shaw can feel her ears burning, wanting Root to look anywhere but her. After a moment's more awkward silence, Root gives her hair a short flip, countenance readjusting for business. A small smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth as she lifts her cell, a photo of a man on her screen.

"Whadaya say about a trip to the Broncs?"

_____\ If Your Number's Up /_____

With the sharp whistle of a bullet still ringing in her ears, Root pulls the triggers of her guns again and again, forcing back the onslaught of Samaritan Agents as they struggle to gain headway on herself and Shaw.

 _We made it just in time_ , she thinks to herself smugly, ducking behind a dumpster and firing off another round. Their latest number had just been given a new ID, passport, and one way ticket out of the country before the welcoming party arrived. Now, it's up to him to disappear.

"Root, let's go," Shaw breathes out at her side, launching up from her defensive crouch as she dashes towards the end of the alleyway. With an invigorated grin curling her lips, Root stands as well, chasing after Shaw around the corner.

"Well, hasn't _this_ been fun," Root purrs, stowing her firearms away before placing her hands on her hips. Shaw crosses her arms, the faintest trace of an accomplished smile lighting her features. Reinforcements would be coming soon, but for now, Root is content with taking a moment to catch her breath, perhaps even throwing a come-on or two into the mix.

"You hungry?" Root asks her, watching Shaw's eyes intently. She's constantly watching Shaw, taking in every quirk of a smile and slight glint of her gaze- it's the small things like that which allow Root to read Shaw a little further, and she seizes every chance to learn more about the woman across from her. Shaw raises her brows in confirmation, and Root can't help the lopsided smile that consumes her features. "We could eat out," she suggests, "Or... we could go back to my place and order something _in_?" She leaves the latter part of the idea hanging, hoping Shaw will catch on. God knows she's been trying for _weeks_ to get Shaw to catch on. Thrilled enough as she is with her current relation to Shaw, Root- always pushing boundaries to the breaking point- has been gunning for a little more than their latest routine. _There's nothing wrong about wanting some alone time,_ Root thinks to herself almost wistfully. _But perhaps_ , she continues, her mind wandering to darker places, _that's not on Shaw's agenda at all_. It's not the first time the idea had manifested sinisterly in her head, nor would it be the last. The question of how much Shaw truly cares for Root had been hanging like an unbearable weight over her head for weeks, and her knees were just about ready to buckle. Sure, they were together, but most everything has been one sided, leaving Root to wonder if there had ever been a shift at all. _But if this isn't something Shaw wanted, she would say so, right?_ The doubt begins to eat at her skin, and she swallows hard. _She's not the type to go along with just anything thrown her way._

"Hey? _Hello_? Earth to psycho? _Root_." Root is jarred from her unsettled musings to the sound of Shaw's voice and her eyes cast in concern. Blinking a few times, Root brings herself fully to, just in time to catch Shaw's response. "I said Chinese sounds fine, if you want to order in. You alright?" Root, pushing her previous thoughts out of sight, smiles warmly, eyes glowing with affection once again.

"I'm better than alright," Root responds, taking a step closer and placing her hands on either of Shaw's shoulders. She watches Shaw's near microscopic reaction; the way her pupils dilate the slightest bit, eyes flaring as her jaw tightens and she stands a hair straighter, taking a breath in but never letting one out. The mere sight brings an army of butterflies surging through Root's stomach, and her heart sputters erratically in her chest. A warmness leaks into her veins, and she can't help but realize all the things she adores about Shaw for the ten thousandth time, every instance bringing something new to the list.

" _Mhmm_ ," Shaw intones back, not seeming to believe her as she brings her arms out, wrapping them gingerly around Root's waist, leaving Root barely able to suppress a delighted shudder. Root can feel her lips tugging into an exuberant grin, eyes lit with the pleasure she cannot even begin to mask. Shaw's eyes study her, and Root finds herself exceedingly vulnerable in the stare, leaning in slowly but surely as a magnate draws her to Shaw. Shaw's eyes flicker past her for a fraction of a second, then do a double take just beyond Root's shoulder.

"Move," Shaw commands suddenly, catching Root off guard. Before she has a chance to recover, Shaw's grip on Root changes, growing rough as she throws Root into the nearest indented doorway. One moment Root's gazing at Shaw, the next her vision is blurred as her back is slammed into a cold brick wall, skull smacking against it with a dull thud. Instantly, Root winces, eyes shut tight as her ears ring and her legs bow, bright flashes of light bursting before her eyelids. She utters a small yelp, sinking down the wall nearly a foot, hands instantly drawing to the back of her head, brain bouncing against her skull. She feels dizzy- sick- and does not even dare open her eyes. She hears gunfire muffled only by the cotton in her ears, then someone down the street groan.

"Root? Root." Root feels hands on her upper arms, her whole body being given a light shake that sends her head lolling in discombobulated circles, pain increasing like a migraine in her neck and temples. Slowly, she peels her eyes open, the sunlight suddenly too bright, as she focuses her fuzzy vision on Shaw. After a moment, her eyes readjust, and she finds Shaw still holding onto her arms, eyes harsh and demanding as she gives Root yet another shake.

"I'm okay," Root assures her groggily before clearing her throat and trying again. "I'm okay." Something warm touches her fingertips and- upon lifting them to her face- she finds a thin line of blood glistening back at her. Quickly, she wipes her hand against her pant leg, hoping Shaw didn't notice. _Of course she noticed,_ Root spits at herself angrily, frazzled head searching for coherent words. "I'm gonna go get the car... before anyone else comes." With that, she slips past Shaw, taking stock of the Samaritan Agent crumpled on the sidewalk only a few feet away, gun only a foot from reach.

Patting her pockets quickly, Root comes to the realization that she does not have the keys, but it doesn't defer her from walking in the right direction. Still, she turns her face back to Shaw, ready to tell Shaw to join her, but stops. She can see the undiluted rage contorting Shaw's features as she wheels around, slamming her fist forcefully into the brick wall before shaking her hand out, brow furrowed with dark eyes. Keeping quiet, Root brings her gaze forward once more, deciding Shaw will realize what Root already has soon enough.

_________\ We'll Find You /_________

Back at Root's apartment, and after much back-and-forth fuss over the extent of Root's injury, Shaw had persuaded Root to allow her to look at it. It isn't much, no more than a scratch, but Shaw can still feel the intense anger boiling in her veins. _Of every bullet or grenade or knife, it had to be me_ , Shaw seethes, parting Root's hair and pressing a cool disinfectant wipe to the cut. _All I want is to not hurt her, and what's the first thing I do?_

Self loathing simmers under her skin as she pulls the cloth away, moving on to a liquid bandaid. Is it excessive? Yes, but it's the only thing Shaw can do to begin to right her wrongs. The look of absolute pain on Root's face was enough to send Shaw's heart spiraling to certain death, not to mention Root’s wandering eyes as she struggled to bring them into focus after the aggressive strike. Shaw'd insisted on driving, then- at every red light and stop sign- Shaw performed her own small concussion check, going over every test and procedure she could remember three times over; Root finally assuring her that she was fine.

But _Shaw_ isn't fine- she's the complete opposite. _She's like a butterfly in a blender around me,_ Shaw grumbles to herself, the first time in her life despising her rough nature. It seems evident now that it's impossible for her to be gentle, and with that, be around Root at all. The thought deflates her in a way she never thought anything could, and she wonders with bitter contempt whatever happened to her icy, closed nature- the answer is not hard to find.

_It's Root._

Root's hair falls from Shaw's fingers as Root turns to face her, brown eyes wide with curiosity. "What is it?" She asks quietly, resting her elbows on the kitchen table.

 _We have to stop this_ , Shaw thinks to herself, but is unable to force the words out. Instead, she locks her jaw, standing and stalking towards the kitchen's countertop, head buzzing. _How the Hell am I supposed to say that,_ she mutters distastefully to herself, rivaling with not meaning it in the slightest and contemplating when it became so hard for her to lie.

"Sam," Root insists, suddenly at Shaw's side. She leans against the granite surface, eyes searching Shaw's for silent answers. But Shaw has nothing to say. In fact, gaze flickering over Root, Shaw has no thought in her mind other than what she's been wanting to do for so long.

So she does it.

Almost.

Pushing away from the counter and grabbing the collar of Root's black jacket, Shaw yanks her close with one sudden movement. Muscles tense. Noses brushing. Shaw's nails dig into the soft leather of Root's jacket, their foreheads nearly touching as her lips part, eyes closing. Root's scent is overwhelming in the most decadent way, and Shaw can't help but wonder if Root smells and feels this good, how would she taste? She's only centimeters from finding out.

She thinks about how easy it would be to move in a little more- pull Root a little closer. _Root's right here, and she's not moving away._ Shaw can see herself giving in, slamming herself against Root, hands tightening on the collar of her jacket as she pushes her against the wall and-

She stops, mind instantly flashing to the Broncs in the morning. To Root's face tight with pain and the blood on her fingertips. _I will not hurt her._

At the same time Shaw feels her energy disperse, she finds her anger mounting. It darkens her eyes and tightens her jaw as she pulls back, fingers slipping from Root's jacket. Root takes a moment to stare at her, to read anything and everything she can, yet the idea of being so easily read makes Shaw's ears hot, and she begins to back up, casting her face away in frustration.

"Hey," Root breathes out, voice asking for Shaw to wait. She doesn't. Taking a step back, Shaw begins to turn, only to be stopped by the sudden force of Root's hands at either side of her head, bringing Shaw's attention snapping back to her. All Shaw can feel is the sting of Root's tight grip at her temples, and the small tingle on the skin under Root's fingertips. She freezes, anger draining as she loses herself entirely in Root's eyes. For a moment they stand there, saying nothing. Then, Root tilts her head forward with seriousness, dark eyes burning into Shaw's as her grip strengthens on Shaw's features.

"It's okay, Sameen." It's quiet like a secret barely disclosed between them but rings with the belting tones of assurance. _A promise. A guarantee._ And suddenly, a dam within Shaw crumbles.

Previous resolve turning to dust, Shaw catapults forward, mouth crashing hard into Root's as she places her hands atop Root's, fingers curling under Root's as she pulls them off and away. Her eyes shut tight as colors burst about her, the entire world fading out of focus. _There's only this._ And so, backing Root as far as she can to the counter, Shaw brings her hands up Root's waist and shoulders, mind beginning to slip.

Then she's thrown back, wincing as her eyes flash open and she finds her head slamming into the cream painted wall, shoulder blades digging into the plaster and Root's breath hot on her face.

"We'll call it even," Root purrs with devious eyes locked on Shaw. Shaw pushes back, wrapping her arm around the back of Root's neck and drawing her in as Root lets her hands wander down to Shaw's jeans. Shaw can barely contain the grin that struggles onto her features as a shudder wracks down her spine. She's lost track of the hours she'd spent waiting for this.

In one fluid motion, Shaw forces herself away from the wall, moving quickly- too quickly. Root stumbles, foot tangling with the leg of a kitchen chair as she falls back on the table. With Root's hands still clinging to Shaw, Shaw falls right along with her. The medical supplies they'd left out scatter across the floor, but neither notice, too engrossed in each other to comprehend anything else. As Shaw tries to bring herself back to a standing position, Root wraps her arms around Shaw's neck, fingers tangling in her hair as she keeps herself close.

Shaw can feel it- her rough nature swelling up within her and aching to escape. She thinks of all the times she had to force it down; she thinks of how she doesn't have to do that anymore. With a sharp jerk, Shaw takes her mouth back from Root, eyes lit and smirk wicked as she sees Root's similar countenance. Then, Root is pulling her back down, falling back over the table as she brings her mouth to the soft spot of Shaw's neck and bites down. Hard. Not expecting the hot pain that rushes into her, Shaw gasps, leaving Root only to give a breathy laugh as she lets her mouth continue down. Shaw can feel the surprise hanging on her bones, but it's a pleasant shock. Mind running rampant, Shaw's nature takes over, coherent thoughts taking a vacation as she gives in to everything. She grabs the opening of Root's jacket, forcing it off before throwing it out of the way. Her hands travel down the front of Root's shirt, find the hem, then slide under, her palms immediately soaking in the warmth of Root's skin. She pushes Root away, her shoulders hitting down on the table top hard as Shaw slides onto the table just above her, knees at either side of Root's thighs and hands holding Root down. Root's arms are still extended forward, fingers caught playfully in Shaw's hair as they both stop to breathe. Root's eyes are on fire, smile lopsided and mischievous as she looks Shaw over, undressing her with her eyes.

"You've made me wait a _long_ while for this," Root coos jokingly, nose crinkling as her clever eyes narrow in play. Shaw chuckles softly in spite of herself.

"Guess that mean's I'm gonna have to make up for some lost time," she replies, and just as quickly as it started, their brief pause ends.


End file.
